The Indonesia quake-tsunami that hit the Sulawesi Island has taken the lives of over 1,300 people with more than 100 missing, along with hundreds of thousands of people who have fled their homes and are now in dire need of immediate assistance, as per the United Nations.
Survivors have been struggling with hunger and thirst as their supply of food and water slowly runs short, while rescue teams have been patrolling the area around the clock in search of remaining survivors as per a report from AFP.
“The death toll is now 1,374, 113 missing,” Willem Rampangilei, head of Indonesia’s national disaster agency, told reporters in Palu on Tuesday.
Despite the ongoing rescue efforts, majority of the operations have also been challenging with the scale of damage that the country has gone to – leaving severed transport areas and lack of heavy machinery to clear the path.
Authorities have also said that they now need more body bags as the death toll rises to avoid the risk of spreading deadly diseases that would spawn from decomposing corpses.
Countries have begun pledging to assist Indonesia to rise again from the natural catastrophe. International aid offers have picked up since Jakarta asked for help. Late Tuesday the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund said it was releasing $15 million in aid as per AFP.
“The Government of Indonesia is experienced and well-equipped in managing natural disasters, but sometimes, as with all other countries, outside help is also needed,” Mark Lowcock, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in a statement.
Photo by Jewel Samad of AFP
